Robots might be invading workplaces in the future, but for now, tech-related jobs are still among the best to pursue in Canada, an Indeed report reveals.
According to the job-searching website’s new list of the 10 Best Jobs of 2017, technology dominates the list, filling seven of the top jobs and even rounding out the top-three.
The list – the first from Indeed – is based on jobs with a salary of at least $70,000, combined with consistent growth in share of postings from 2013 to 2016.
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“The first thing that surprised us was how dominant tech-related roles were,” says Paul D’Arcy, senior vice-president of Indeed. “We expected it to be a more diverse list that better represented the diversity of the Canadian economy, but it turns out that there’s been a lot of growth in the tech sector in Canada.”
There are two reasons for this, D’Arcy says.
“First, every company is really in the process of transforming and becoming the digital version of itself,” he explains. “It used to be maybe that software engineers and other technology-related roles were in technology companies, but now, every organization is trying to fill these positions.”
And because there is such a high demand for these roles, there’s a major shortage of candidates to fill them. In other words, the supply has yet to catch up with the demand and it’s leaving these roles open for a lot longer.
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“These jobs are really good jobs that drive innovation,” D’Arcy says. “The presence of these jobs is a very positive thing for an economy, and seeing a list that is so incredibly dominated by these jobs is reflective of the Canadian economy being driven by valued knowledge work.”
He adds, “Getting as many people into these sorts of positions as possible is increasingly important for continued growth in the economy.”
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What’s interesting about these opportunities, D’Arcy says, is the fact that there’s no one way to acquire the skills or degree you need to obtain a job in this field.
“Being able to have fluency with software, with data and analysis is something that’s incredibly valuable and can create career opportunities across all of the economy, and not just in the tech sector,” he says. “So people who have these really hard-to-define technical skills – by teaching themselves or go through training for these skills – have what feels like limitless opportunities right now.”
And the growth is here to stay. According to the Brookfield Institute, Canada’s tech sector is a $117-billion industry and accounts for over seven per cent of the country’s total GDP. As of 2016, there are 71,000 tech sector firms and about 864,000 tech sector employees across the country – this sector alone accounts for 5.6 per cent of Canada’s total employment.
So, what specific jobs made Indeed’s list? Check them out below.
Graphics by Ben Simpson
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